DC Comics Presents #96

DC Comics Presents #96, published in August 1986, arrived during a pivotal period for DC Comics as the company was concluding its post-Crisis on Infinite Earths restructuring. The series, which debuted in 1978, was primarily designed to showcase team-ups between Superman and lesser-known characters within the DC Universe. By the time this issue was released, the editorial direction was beginning to shift toward more self-contained stories, often featuring experimental pairings that allowed creators to explore Superman's interactions with a broader, sometimes unusual, roster of characters.

This specific issue features a script by Steve Englehart and interior art by Joe Staton, with a cover illustration by Jerry Ordway. Englehart’s work during this era was characterized by an attempt to modernize the traditional Superman narrative to fit the more complex sensibilities of mid-80s comics. The story functions as a bridge between established lore and the new editorial landscape, representing the craft of a creative team tasked with maintaining the momentum of a long-running anthology series just before the character’s definitive reboot in the pages of John Byrne’s Man of Steel later that year.